Friday, July 13, 2012

An Oregon mom is suing pop sensation Justin Bieber for causing permanent hearing damage when she took her daughter to a Portland concert on July 14, 2010. The lawsuit alleges that the singer aggravated the level of noise in the arena. Yes, that's right -- Bieber drove his fans into a very loud frenzy. You know, the way most screaming teenage girls react when they go to a concert starring their heartthrob. Stacey Betts says Bieber incited the fans to scream louder by swinging over the crowd in a heart-shaped aluminum steel gondola. Betts called the gondola a "sound conductor" which produced a level of noise that caused permanent damage to both ears. Oh, now we get it. Really the gondola is to blame. But seeing as how Bieber was operating said gondola, Betts wants $9.23 million in damages from the singer, his record label, the concert promoter and the arena. Michael Jackson's estate almost debt free: The fortune rolling in since Michael Jackson's death in 2009 has almost wiped out his estate's $500 million debt. Legal documents filed by executors for the pop singer's estate reveal that gross earnings surpassed $475 million by the end of May. The only remaining debt involves Jackson's publishing catalog, but executors said they expect to clear that debt by the end of this year. The documents also note that Katherine Jackson, the late singer's mother, has Advertisement requested an additional $34,700 a month to pay for lawyers and accountants, as well as $205,041 to cover their services for 2011. Two 'Idol' judges gone; third on the way?: Just one a day after Steven Tyler announced his departure from the "American Idol" judging panel, Jennifer Lopez confirmed that she, too, will be leaving prime time's most popular reality series. Lopez called Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show on Friday to break the news. "I really was dreading this phone call with you," she told him. "I honestly feel like the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I've put kind of on hold because I love 'Idol' so much." That leaves just Randy Jackson remaining on the "Idol" panel, and there are reports that he may assume a different role with the show when it returns next January for its 12th season. Meanwhile, rumors continue to swirl that Mariah Carey could join as a judge. The loss of Lopez is the biggest blow to an aging show that experienced a significant ratings drop-off this past season. In her two years on "Idol," Lopez established herself as the heart and soul of the judging panel. Like Paula Abdul before her, she was the nurturing cheerleader type who coddled the contestants and called them "baby." But unlike Abdul, she could deliver detailed, insightful critiques and bring an edge when she needed to. Tyler, meanwhile, often came across as detached and/or bored -- especially in his second season. "Idol," which once ruled the prime-time ratings with judges that did not have high profiles when it launched, now finds itself in a crowded genre at a time when big-name judges are the trend. "The Voice" boasts recent chart-toppers and award winners (Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton), while "The X Factor" recently make a big splash with the hiring of Britney Spears and Demi Lovato. And "America's Got Talent" generated headlines by landing Howard Stern. To keep pace, "Idol" apparently needs at least one big name and Carey could be it. Former contestant Adam Lambert also has been rumored as a possibility. But while, a big name might bring some buzz, producers would be wise to focus on judges who can bring the wit, honesty and conciseness that has been missing from the "Idol" panel since Simon Cowell left to launch "The X Factor." Too often this past season, the "Idol" panel sounded like an echo chamber that constantly reverberated with sugarcoated platitudes. Kelsey Grammer welcomes daughter, reveals tragedy: "Boss" star Kelsey Grammer, 57, and wife Kayte, 31, welcomed daughter Faith Evangeline Elisa Grammer at 1 a.m. in Los Angeles. She weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces. "We are thrilled. Mother and child are in excellent health," reps said in a statement. The couple, who married in February 2011, also revealed the tragic history that proceeded the birth of their daughter, which included two miscarriages. "We were ecstatic earlier this year, when we announced that Kayte was carrying twins. Tragically we lost the little boy shortly thereafter," they said in a statement. "This was not something we cared to make known publicly at the time. It was unspeakably painful and we know that people will understand our desire to keep the news private then, as we know they will respect our privacy in this matter now." The Grammers also lost a child in 2010. They went on to say in the statement, "A glorious birth with a lingering sadness is ours today. We choose to celebrate the life that has been given us. We proudly introduce our Faith to the world today looking forward to the days ahead and the children yet to come." Brad Pitt feuding with director: Brad Pitt is no longer the biggest fan of "World War Z" director Marc Forster. Vulture reports that Pitt, who lobbied to get Forster the job, is no longer speaking to the director except through an intermediary. Sources say the tension stems from a "combination of scheduling, script, and directorial problems." In other words, they both want control over the film. Adding to the problems, "World War Z" reportedly still lacks a concrete ending, even with screenwriter Damon Lindelof brought on board as a consultant. The movie has a scheduled release date of June 2013. No big payout for Katie Holmes: Reports that Katie Holmes bagged $50 million in her divorce settlement from Tom Cruise were torpedoed as "ridiculous" by what TMZ called a well-connected source. But Cruise is still on the hook for a hefty sum in child support during the next 12 years for the couple's 6-year-old daughter, Suri. This is what happens when big-name stars deny us the pleasure of a drawn-out, mudslinging divorce battle. We are forced to snatch up any tiny morsel dished up by "well-connected" sources. A reportedly ironclad prenuptial agreement shut Holmes out of a nest egg because she called the marriage quits. No worries there, another source says because Holmes "has her own money." Where Cruise will have to dip into his bank accounts is for child support payments until Suri reaches the age of 18. The well-connected source puts the tab for that support at more than $10 million -- which will help pay for posh digs and plenty of cute dresses, for both mom and daughter. Michael Clarke Duncan hospitalized: "Green Mile" actor Michael Clarke Duncan went into cardiac arrest Friday morning and is in the intensive care unit at a Los Angeles hospital. Omarosa Stallworth, the actor's girlfriend, found him unconscious just before 2 a.m. and performed CPR, TMZ reports. Although the 54-year-old actor is in the ICU, his condition is listed as stable. "According to doctors, Duncan suffered a myocardial infarction," his rep says. "He is now stable and we look forward to his full recovery."